Software systems for development, control, programming, simulation, and emulation of fixed and reconfigurable lab-on-a-chip devices

ABSTRACT

A software system for development, control, programming, simulation, and emulation of fixed, software-configurable, software-reconfigurable, and software-controlled Lab-on-a-chip (“LoC”) devices. Files may be used to specify LoC configurations for models, emulation, and fabrication, and scripts can be implemented to control numerical simulations as well as physical emulations of modeled LoC devices. Other features include a control software design tool, fabrication design systems, and an authoring/editing tool for specification files. In some cases, an active data visualization system provides visualizations of real-time data generated by past and current simulations and emulations.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Pursuant to 35 U.S.C. Section 119(e), this application claims benefit of priority from U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/328,726 filed Dec. 4, 2008, which claims priority from provisional U.S. Patent Application No. 61/005,460, filed Dec. 4, 2007, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally pertains to the design of lab-on-a-chip devices, and in particular to the specification, numerical simulation and physical emulation of chemical processing systems therein operating under software control.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and in part will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectives and other advantages of the invention will be realized and attained by the structure particularly pointed out in the written description and claims hereof as well as the appended drawings.

An embodiment includes a system for the development of a software-controlled Lab-on-a-chip (“LoC”) device. The system includes a specification language file for specifying LoC element attributes of elements and interconnections among elements, the specification file for determining a model for an LoC device; an authoring/editing tool for creating and/or editing the specification file; an operating language script for controlling the operation of a modeled LoC device; a control design tool for creating and/or editing the operational language script; a numerical simulation system for producing a real-time numerical simulation of the operation of the model LoC device; a data visualization system for creating real-time visualizations of data from the numerical simulation; wherein the authoring/editing tool, control design tool, numerical simulation system, and data visualization system are integrated into a common system sharing the specification language file and operational language script.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description of preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary two-dimensional attribute space (two-attribute demographic landscape) for LoC devices.

FIG. 2 a shows use of a reconfigurable physical chemical process emulation setup as a tool for developing and conceptual testing of a plurality of fixed LoC systems.

FIG. 2 b shows use of a reconfigurable physical chemical process emulation setup as a tool for developing and conceptual testing of reconfigurable LoC systems.

FIG. 3 a depicts the situation where with potential candidate applications, very few can demonstrate enough market size to justify sizable R&D and manufacturing costs and risks.

FIG. 3 b shows potential candidate applications of FIG. 3 a clustered into five such potential reconfigurable LoC products.

FIG. 3 c depicts an example where several potential reconfigurable LoC products immediately demonstrate enough potential market to merit both R&D and manufacturing with others defined to aggregate enough market size to merit at least R&D.

FIGS. 3 d-3 g depict steps in an exemplary commercialization-enabled scenario demonstrating immense value in pursuing reconfigurable LoC design.

FIG. 4 shows the construction of another attribute space relevant to the inclusion of reconfigurable LoC devices and emulation systems emulating LoC devices.

FIG. 5 shows a software-controlled reconfigurable LoC emulation system that can be used to emulate a wide range of differing imagined, planned, designed, prototyped, and/or realized LoC devices.

FIGS. 6 a-6 b show exemplary overviews of the functional elements of an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 7 a shows a global view of an integrated system for simulation, emulation, and in some applications direct control of a fixed-design LoC device from one or more common scripts and/or files.

FIG. 7 b shows a global view of an integrated system for simulation, emulation, and in some applications direct control of a configurable or reconfigurable LoC device from one or more common scripts and/or files.

FIG. 8 a depicts exemplary primitive elements that may be used in the design of larger chemical process systems as may be used in lab-on-a-chip devices.

FIG. 8 b depicts an exemplary subsystem design that may be assembled from the exemplary primitive elements of FIG. 8 a such as may be used in the design of a larger chemical process systems as may be used in lab-on-a-chip devices.

FIGS. 9 a-9 c depict how the exemplary subsystem design of FIG. 8 b may be constructed in steps from the exemplary primitive elements of FIG. 8 a to assemble larger subassembly designs, and using these and copies of them to assemble the FIG. 8 b subsystem design.

FIG. 10 a depicts a subassembly design that may be constructed from exemplary primitive elements of FIG. 8 a and that may be used in constructing designs for larger subassemblies and subsystems.

FIG. 10 b depicts a multi-channel chemical delivery bus design that may be constructed from multiple copies of the subassembly of FIG. 10 a.

FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary reconfigurable lab-on-a-chip system design that may be constructed from an instance of the design of FIG. 10 a, an instance of the design of FIG. 10 b, and multiple instances of a modified version of the subassembly of FIG. 9 c.

FIG. 12 depicts a graphical layout as may be used in fabrication design and/or an animated visualization of a simulated or emulated operation of the design of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 shows a high-level view of an exemplary software architecture wherein a higher-level control system controls any one or more of a target actual, emulated, or simulated system.

FIG. 14 shows an exemplary control hierarchy of such an exemplary software architecture.

FIG. 15 shows an exemplary transactional organization for an exemplary hierarchy of control.

FIG. 16 a shows an exemplary message flux typically associated with a task at various levels in the hierarchy of commands.

FIG. 16 b shows exemplary response times for operations executed in a general software control system (left column) versus a control system closer to the target that may likely use dedicated electronics or other hardware (right column).

FIG. 17 depicts an example control software structure and interfaces comprising an exemplary a multi-level control hierarchy.

FIG. 18 a depicts a primitive exemplary laboratory lattice-scale implementation of an exemplary module as provided for by an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 18 b depicts an exemplary loop-through implementation of communications bus connecting exemplary modules with a controlling computer or processor as provided for by an embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 18 c depicts an exemplary backplane implementation of communications bus connecting exemplary modules with a controlling computer or processor as provided for by another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 19 shows an evolution path from an initial proprietary implementation into an open system.

These and other embodiments will also become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the embodiments having reference to the attached figures, the invention not being limited to any particular embodiment disclosed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawing figures which form a part hereof, and which show by way of illustration specific embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood by those of ordinary skill in this technological field that other embodiments may be utilized, and structural, electrical, as well as procedural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Wherever possible, the same reference numbers will be used throughout the drawings to refer to the same or similar parts.

Common works include the design and analysis of isolated components and phenomena, with some addressing prototype small-scale fixed function subsystems. Past and current visions of “Lab-on-a-chip” implementations generally focus on the custom design device precisely matched to a narrow vertical application. Some of the many envisioned lab-on-a-chip applications include:

-   -   Real-time Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR detection of bacteria,         viruses and cancers);     -   Immunoassay (detection of bacteria, viruses, cancers via         antigen-antibody reactions);     -   Dielectrophoresis (detecting cancer cells and bacteria via         position shifts from electric field);     -   Blood sample preparation;     -   Body fluid analysis;     -   Air and water pollution monitoring;     -   Enhanced flow injection system implementation;     -   Very small, very low cost gas and liquid chromatography         elements;     -   Drug discovery;     -   Cellular lab-on-a-chip for single-cell analysis.

Each of these diverse vertical application areas will indeed readily develop causing a need to fabricate highly-customizable devices. In the interim, there is a problem: maintaining this viewpoint and associated status quo will likely keep lab-on-a-chip technology exotic and largely unreachable for all but well-funded experimental projects and rare product development efforts for many years to come. Consequently, pent-up demand remains for the realistically foreseeable future. This is unfortunate as lab-on-a-chip holds tremendous promise.

A tension exists between the advantage of anticipated yet unreached “lower fabrication costs” and the perpetuated disadvantage of a novel technology that is not fully developed. These create a loop of inefficient if not effectively stalled commercial development: As long as lab-on-a-chip remains a novel undeveloped vision motivated by isolated component experiments and no overarching systems framework, mass production and lower fabrication costs remain unreachable, keeping lab-on-chip exotic and inaccessible, effectively maintaining LoC's novelty and underdevelopment.

FIG. 1 shows an exemplary two-dimensional attribute landscape for demo graphic ally characterizing LoC devices. One attribute of this attribute space relates to systems-level complexity. This attribute is represented by the horizontal axis in FIG. 1. An exemplary metric of systems-level complexity is the total number of primitive elements (by appropriate definition) included in the system. One definition of a primitive element may be a low-level functional component such as a sensor, reactor, pump, valve, etc.

To date, very few LoC devices described include more than a dozen or few dozen primitive elements. Those with 20 or fewer elements may, roughly, be viewed as simple while LoC devices with between 20 to 200 or so primitive elements may be viewed as having moderate complexity. LoC devices with more than 200 or so primitive elements may be viewed as having large-scale complexity. It is contemplated that future LoC devices may have many hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands, or perhaps even significantly higher numbers of primitive elements.

The other attribute of the two-dimensional demographic attribute space of FIG. 1 relates to whether the LoC devices are operationally passive devices or, alternatively, involve active control. The property of active versus passive control is represented by the vertical axis in FIG. 1. Here, active control may include one or more of hardware logic, firmware algorithmic logic, software algorithmic logic, external software control via communication ports, analog feedback control systems, or digital feedback control systems. Active control may be used for process control, configuration management, and (as anticipated by disclosure and other related inventions and technologies) system reconfiguration.

Two approaches for addressing these formidable problems and opportunities include:

-   -   Creating a universal framework and software system for         development, control, programming, simulation, and emulation of         fixed, configurable (and reconfigurable) LoC devices; and     -   Creating a set of standard configurable and/or reconfigurable         architectures that will allow a single LoC system to service a         wide family of applications.

Described embodiments include those directed to software systems for the specification, development, control, programming, simulation, and emulation of fixed, software-configurable, software-reconfigurable, and software-controlled Lab-on-a-chip (“LoC”) devices.

In addition to actually interfacing, controlling, and providing a software-development platform for a wide range of LoC devices, the various embodiments provide for the same specification files and operating scripts to be used across several subsystems. For example, in an embodiment, numerical simulation and physical emulation systems can use the same files and scripts to control simulations and render associated active data visualizations. Another feature relates to the control of software-reconfigurable and software-controlled emulation systems.

Reconfigurable Chemical Processing Systems, Reconfigurable LoC, and LoC Commercialization Economics

Currently, despite extensive highly-funded basic research, only a very few “Lab-on-a-Chip” devices are commercially viable. Most of these, however clever in design, are usually quite simplistic in their complexity. This is largely due to the current but long-established research and industry mindset wherein a special dedicated design uniquely serves a particular isolated application area.

This is an unfortunate situation as it creates a network of self-reinforcing self-limiting processes that have long been impeding the industry's effectiveness, value, acceptance, and growth. R&D costs for a full design and subsequent manufacturing costs are very high, typically preventing all but a select few of the simplest devices from reaching manufacture. Further, there is often little opportunity to reuse R&D and manufacturing setups, creating at once both huge opportunity loss and tremendous wasteful industrial process redundancy. The limited manufacturing experience that results diminish chances to improve and refine manufacturing and design techniques, and additionally prevent economies of scale from being leveraged to reduce costs and broaden the possibilities for using “Lab-on-a-chip” technologies.

FIG. 3 a depicts the situation described above. Of the potential candidate applications that could find practical use or otherwise contribute value (represented by the vertical arrows), very few can demonstrate enough market size to justify sizable R&D costs (represented by the three vertical arrows crossing the lower threshold line). Of these, only a very few are even close to being able to demonstrate enough market size to justify the even more sizable manufacturing costs and risks (represented by the single vertical arrow just barely crossing the upper threshold line).

Many of the potential candidate applications (represented by the vertical arrows) in FIG. 3 a can be served by associated LoC designs that share a significant number of component features and aspects with one another. Of these, at least one group of LoC designs associated with the selected potential candidate applications can be clustered and fitted with controllable element attributes and controllable routing. The resulting “meta-system” can serve as an archetype design for a reconfigurable LoC system. The archetype design can be further enhanced and perhaps broadened to create a potential reconfigurable LoC product that can serve at least the aggregated markets for potential candidate application in the group. FIG. 3 b shows the potential candidate applications of FIG. 3 a clustered into five such potential reconfigurable LoC products (denoted as Type 1, Type2, Type 3, Type 4, and Type 5). In many cases, the capabilities of the potential reconfigurable LoC products can be broadened enough so that a few of the potential candidate applications could be served by more than one of the potential reconfigurable LoC products. This overlap is represented in FIG. 3 b by the overlapping brackets.

Thus a single reconfigurable LoC product, once manufactured, can serve a large number of small-market applications. FIG. 3 c depicts this result. For example, at least the Type 1, Type 2, and Type 5 potential reconfigurable LoC products immediately demonstrate sufficiently large potential markets to merit both R&D and manufacturing. In this example, the Type 3 and Type 4 potential reconfigurable LoC products were defined so as to aggregate at least enough market size to merit R&D, albeit not quite enough market to merit an immediate post R&D manufacturing response.

Continuing with the example, various industry and business decisions lead to a first offering of a commercial reconfigurable LoC product—for example of the Type 2 variety—as suggested in FIG. 3 d. Based on the market response (good, fair, or bad) and manufacturing lessons learned, desires for shared manufacturing, competitive responses, etc, a second reconfigurable LoC product—for example of the Type 4 variety—is introduced as suggested in FIG. 3 e. The Type 4 choice serves an entirely different market sector that the earlier Type 2 product offering.

Continuing with the example, there may be market, regulatory, or technical problems that continue to impede Type 3 as originally envisioned, but a competitor may introduce an entirely new Type 6 product that for some applications competes with the now existing Type 2 and Type 4 product offerings. That competitor, another manufacturer entrant, or one of the other manufacturers may also introduce a Type 1 product. This is depicted in FIG. 3 f.

Continuing further with the example, new technology, developing market forces, new applications, and other manufacturer entrants will continue to expand the market. For example, as shown in FIG. 3 g, a Type 5 product offering, along with new R&D Type 7 and Type 8 product offerings, are introduced.

Continuing with the example the market is now full of LoC solutions for an ever-expanding list of valuable applications, while only a few manufacturing designs were required (for example, in the example provided here only 7 types of reconfigurable LoC products are manufactured). Further, the mass production encourages a growing skill-base in using these reconfigurable LoC products, putting these 7 reconfigurable LoC in the same role as that of the selection of available microprocessors and embedded controllers in the electronics and computer industry—that is, once available and understood, they become tools for many additional unforeseen applications by a great many more customers.

The exemplary FIGS. 3 b-3 g scenario demonstrates the immense value in pursuing reconfigurable LoC design. First, the aggregation of application fractured markets made possible by properly designed reconfigurable LoC products breaks the long-standing stalemate depicted in FIG. 3 a. Second, not only does a reconfigurable physical chemical process emulation setup provide a development environment with the value spelled out in the discussion of FIG. 2 a, but additionally the reconfigurable physical chemical process emulation setup and reconfigurable LoC both inform and cross-enable one another. This rationale provides even more reasons for producing commercial component products, and entire systems, for reconfigurable physical chemical process emulation.

Configurable and Reconfigurable LoC, Clearing and Cleaning, and Further LoC Classifications

Attention is now directed to classification remarks concern matters of distinguishing initial configuration, modal operation, and reconfiguration:

-   -   In many situations and applications, one or more of instances of         one or more setup action may be enacted prior to the operation         of the reconfigurable LoC or reconfigurable chemical process         emulation system. This enactment establishes an initial         configuration of the LoC or emulation system.     -   In many situations and applications, limited valve operation and         other topological actions may be enacted during operation of the         reconfigurable LoC or reconfigurable chemical process emulation         system. These enactments may be viewed as modal operation within         a previously established initial configuration.     -   In some situations and applications, significant variations or         fundamental structural changes are enacted; these may be viewed         as a reconfiguration of the associated larger system.

In some embodiments and applications, portions of a reconfigurable LoC or reconfigurable chemical process emulation system may be designated for single substance-type use, single-purpose use, or even single-event use. In other embodiments and applications, at least portions of a reconfigurable LoC or reconfigurable chemical process emulation system may provide for some form of clearing and cleaning of at least some portions the reconfigurable LoC between at least some operations so as to allow buses, valves, and in many cases connected devices to be reused with limited contamination. These clearing and cleaning operations can deliver several benefits:

-   -   Permit multiple reuse of the LoC within a larger system (for         example a mass-produced consumer-level food-toxin tester);     -   Removal of toxins prior to recycling or disposal;     -   Recovery of valuable reagents prior to recycling or disposal.

Earlier, FIG. 1 provided an exemplary two-dimensional attribute space for demographically defining LoC devices. The two attributes defining the two-dimensional attribute space of FIG. 1 are metrics of complexity and of passivity versus active control employed by the LoC. In view of the additional considerations raised thus far. FIG. 4 shows the construction of another attribute space relevant to the inclusion of reconfigurable LoC devices and emulation systems emulating LoC devices. In this:

-   -   The first attribute is an index relating to whether an LoC         device or LoC emulation system has a fixed configuration, some         degree of primitive flexibility in its configuration, a         (software or other electrical) “configurable” (i.e.,         controllable) configuration, or a reconfigurable configuration         that may be changed within the actual operation time of the         system.     -   An added second attribute pertaining to whether the LoC device         or LoC emulation system comprises internal clearing and cleaning         capabilities.     -   An added third attribute pertaining to the number of         simultaneous independent processing “threads” or activities that         can be simultaneously supported. This is analogous to the number         of simultaneous real-time control threads that may be supported         by a real-time microprocessor or Digital Signal Processing (DSP)         chip.         Integrating a Plurality of Specification, Simulation, Emulation,         Visualization, Fabrication Design, and Control Software         Development Systems into a Common Interactive Environment with         Exchanged Data

Clearly as LoC devices progress from designs of moderate complexity to designs of larger and large-scale complexity, design tools will be needed. The needs amplify when active control is added, and yet again when reconfiguration is added. Applicable design tools could include, among others:

-   -   A specification system, potentially including an interactive         graphical interface;     -   A fabrication design system, potentially including an         interactive graphical interface;     -   An active data visualization system;     -   A graphical layout and rendering system, potentially used to         provide graphical renderings for one or more of the above three         systems;     -   A numerical simulation system;     -   A software reconfigurable physical emulation system;     -   A control software development system.

FIG. 5 shows an integrated software-controlled LoC simulation/emulation system that can be used to emulate a wide range of differing imagined, planned, designed, prototyped, and/or realized LoC devices. As such, the reconfigurable LoC emulation system can potentially provide value throughout virtually the entire research, development, design, prototype, and pre-manufacturing cycle of a LoC or reconfigurable LoC product.

Further value can result by integrating together a specification system, numerical simulation system, a software-controlled reconfigurable LoC emulation system, and active data visualization system, with a control software development system and other design tools in a common environment. Exemplary methods and systems for this which are applicable to the 30 present disclosure are provided in, for example, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/946,678 filed Nov. 28, 2007. Here, a few additional examples are provided that may be advantageous in various embodiments, implementations, and applications.

FIG. 6 a depicts an exemplary integrated system integrating a specification system, a fabrication design system, a graphical layout system, a graphical rendering system, a numerical simulation system, a software-controlled reconfigurable LoC physical emulation system, an active data visualization system, and a control software development system. This exemplary arrangement provides for the same specification file(s) to be used for defining a common underlying design model to the graphical layout system, the numerical simulation system, the software-controlled reconfigurable LoC physical emulation system, the fabrication design system, and the control software development system. These specification files may be created and/or provided from an authoring/editing tool or an outside source. These files may be stored in a file system or database. The files may be tagged with descriptive metadata, associated with pointers to descriptive metadata, or otherwise linked to descriptive metadata to facilitate searches by feature, searches by usage, versioning control, etc.

The exemplary integrated system of FIG. 6 a also provides for operational language scripts to be created and modified by a control-software design tool. Although not shown in FIG. 6 a, these operational language scripts may also be provided by an outside source. These files may be stored in a file system or database. The files may be tagged with descriptive metadata, associated with pointers to descriptive metadata, or otherwise linked to descriptive metadata so as to facilitate searches by feature, searches by usage, versioning control, etc. For example, each operational language script may be associated with a particular individual or family of specification files.

The exemplary integrated system of FIG. 6 a provides for the graphical layout element to produce layout data, such as a draw list, that is then presented to a graphical rendering element 25 that converts this information into a visual graphic for rendering on a display. In some embodiments the rendering is such that text and graphics may be subsequently overlaid on the rendered visual graphics. In some embodiments the graphical layout element may provide interactive features—in some embodiments doing so in conjunction with the graphical rendering element—so as to provide the user layout choices, options, and alternatives. The graphical layout element and graphical rendering element each may produce and use associated files. These files may also be provided by an outside source. These files may be stored in a file system or database. The files may be tagged with descriptive metadata, associated with pointers to descriptive metadata, or otherwise linked to descriptive metadata so as to facilitate searches by feature, searches by usage, versioning control, etc. For example, each file may be associated with a particular individual or family of specification files.

The exemplary integrated system of FIG. 6 a provides for a given operational language script to be used by the numerical simulation system and/or the software-controlled reconfigurable physical emulation system. The numerical simulation system produces simulation data in real time or at the end of a simulation. This simulated data may be reported in standard formats or be directed to the active data visualization system. The active data visualization system, for example, may indicate simulated data in intricate analytical formats, employ visual metaphors, and/or superimpose simulated data results on graphical depictions of the modeled system described by the specification file. Similarly, the software-controlled reconfigurable physical emulation system produces measured data in real time or at the end of an emulation time interval. This measured data may be reported in standard formats or be directed to the same active data visualization system. The active data visualization system, for example, may indicate measured data in intricate analytical formats, employ visual metaphors, and/or superimpose simulated data results on graphical depictions of the modeled system described by the specification file. In some embodiments, the measured data may be converted by various linear and non-linear conversions to impose mappings that may be useful in associated measured data from the physical emulation system to the physical scale or other variations of the modeled underlying LoC design defined by the specification file(s). In some embodiments, the active data visualization system may co-display or provide a mixed display of current or previous simulation(s) and/or emulation(s).

The exemplary fabrication design system of the exemplary integrated system of FIG. 6 a may include an element for computing various fabrication preliminaries based on an underlying fabrication process template or method library. The fabrication modeled in the fabrication preliminaries element may include photolithography, metallization, micro-machining, ion implantation, laser etching, controlled self-assembly via chemical-process or physical-process, etc. Based on the result of operations on the specification file produced by the fabrication preliminaries element, a fabrication layout is produced by a fabrication layout element. In some embodiments, the fabrication layout element and fabrication preliminaries element may iteratively interact. In some embodiments, the fabrication layout element may provide data to the graphic rendering element discussed above. The fabrication preliminaries element and fabrication layout element each may produce and use associated files. These files may also be provided by an outside source. These files may be stored in a file system or database. The files may be tagged with descriptive metadata, associated with pointers to descriptive metadata, or otherwise linked to descriptive metadata so as to facilitate searches by feature, searches by usage, versioning control, etc. For example, each operational language script may be associated with a particular individual or family of specification files.

FIG. 6 b depicts an exemplary variation on the exemplary integrated system of FIG. 10 6 a. In this variation, the graphic rendering element may supply graphics and, in some embodiments, otherwise interact with one or more of the authoring/editing tool, the active data visualization tool, and/or the control software design tool. Other approaches are possible as is clear to one skilled in the art. For example, the graphic rending element may provide more complex services or functions to other elements in the system.

FIG. 7 a shows a global view of an exemplary software environment embodiment of an integrated system such as that of FIG. 6 a or FIG. 6 b. This exemplary embodiment is directed to the development, study, or operation of LoC devices which do not have controllable configuration or reconfiguration abilities. The integrated system may be used for progressive and/or interspersed simulation, emulation, and, where applicable, direct control of an LoC device from one or more common scripts and/or files.

In the exemplary software environment embodiment of FIG. 7 a, the same scripts and/or files operate a process control element in communication with various target-specific drivers. Here one such driver is associated with a numerical LoC modeling system having a simulation component and a visualization component in addition to other detail numerical models. Another such driver in this embodiment is associated with a “table-scale” or other LoC emulation system. Another such driver in this embodiment could be provided to interface with an actual or prototype controllable LoC device should that exist and be available. This allows for the actual or prototype controllable LoC device to be operated by the system and compared with simulation and/or emulation results. Other approaches are possible as is clear to one skilled in the art.

Additionally, the exemplary software environment embodiment of FIG. 7 a would typically include numerical simulation and emulation systems that are configurable or reconfigurable. Other approaches are possible as is clear to one skilled in the art.

FIG. 7 b shows an exemplary adaptation of the exemplary software environment embodiment of FIG. 7 a where the actual LoC device under development, study, or operation has configuration or reconfiguration abilities. In this case, common configuration scripts and/or files and/or other techniques are used to configure the numerical simulation system, the physical emulation system, and the LoC device itself should it exist and be available. The same configuration scripts and/or files and/or other means are used to configure the numerical LoC modeling system and the LoC emulation system. Further, it may be especially advantageous to integrate configuration control together with process control as shown in FIG. 7 b. In this way scripts and/or files may combine configuration commands and process commands. As with the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 7 a, the exemplary embodiment of FIG. 7 b can also include provisions to interface with an actual or prototype controllable LoC device, should that exist and be available. This allows for the actual or prototype controllable LoC device to be operated by the system and compared with simulation and/or emulation results. Other approaches are possible as is clear to one skilled in the art.

Specification System

The integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, as well as a wide range of variations that are clear to one skilled in the art and thus provided for herein, includes a specification system for describing LoC models with specification files. These specification files comprise lists of elements, attributes of these elements, a list of interconnections among chemical ports of the elements, and a list of interconnections among signal ports of the elements. The specification files may also include additional information such as ports to other systems, descriptive information, etc.

The specification system may include an authoring/editing system such as that depicted in FIGS. 6 a-6 b. In one family of embodiments, specification files may be created or edited through use of an interactive graphical user interface. In some of these embodiments, the interactive graphical user interface may provide graphical depictions of the elements and their interconnection.

FIG. 8 a depicts a short exemplary collection of primitive elements that may be used in the design of larger chemical process systems as may be used in lab-on-a-chip devices. In some embodiments, this collection can be large. If desired, the elements within this collection can be modified and/or extended by adding new elements. Other approaches are possible as is clear to one skilled in the art.

FIG. 8 b depicts an exemplary subsystem design that may be assembled from the exemplary primitive elements of FIG. 8 a such as may be used in the design of a larger chemical process systems as may be used in lab-on-a-chip devices. FIGS. 9 a-9 c provide one example of how the exemplary subsystem design of FIG. 8 b may be constructed in steps from the exemplary primitive elements of FIG. 8 a to assemble larger subassembly designs, and using these and copies of them to assemble the FIG. 8 b subsystem design.

FIG. 9 a depicts a first grouping of elements that may be used in building a larger assembly or subassembly of elements. In an embodiment, instances of the primitive elements involved are allowed to be created. Each instance is given one or more attributes (for example type, volume characteristics, number of ports, port geometry attributes, admissible tolerances, etc.). Ports on the element instances can be interconnected, for example by “rubber-band” drawing interfaces, port selection using an interactive graphical user interface, text specification, etc. In a similar fashion, FIG. 9 b depicts a second grouping of elements that may be used in building a larger assembly or subassembly of elements. In some embodiments, these groupings may be retained in a library for use in future design sessions or projects. If desired, these groupings may be copied and replicated. In some embodiments, the rendered copies may be individually edited to change attributes of one or more elements, interconnections, etc.

The groups and rendered copies of them may be used to build larger subassemblies, assemblies, subsystems, and systems, up to the scale of a full LoC design. As an example, FIG. 9 c depicts a rendering of the exemplary subsystem design of FIG. 8 b as built from four instances of the grouping of FIG. 9 a, one instance of the grouping of FIG. 9 b, some additional primitive elements depicted in FIG. 8 a, and some exemplary overlay port and function definitions. The resulting design can be changed, and used as is or as modified. In some embodiments, the resulting design depicted in FIG. 9 c may be retained in a library for use in future design sessions or projects.

Similarly, FIG. 10 a depicts a subassembly design that may be constructed from exemplary primitive elements of FIG. 8 a and that may be used in constructing designs for larger subassemblies and subsystems. The resulting design can be changed, and used as is or as modified. In some embodiments, the resulting design may be retained in a library for use in future design sessions or projects.

FIG. 10 b depicts a multi-channel chemical delivery bus design that may be constructed from multiple copies of the subassembly of FIG. 10 a. The subassembly of FIG. 10 a may have been just created or may have been recalled from a library of stored designs.

FIG. 11 depicts an exemplary full-scale reconfigurable lab-on-a-chip system design that may be constructed from an instance of the design of FIG. 10 a, an instance of the design of FIG. 10 a, and multiple instances of a modified version of the subassembly of FIG. 9 c. In this example, the modification of the subassembly of FIG. 9 c involves replacing the two-port and two-valve fill and vent system for storage vessels in the subassembly of FIG. 9 c with a single port that can be interfaced to a designated port on an instance of the subassembly design of FIG. 10 a.

Graphical Layout System

The exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, as well as a wide range of variations that are clear to one skilled in the art and thus provided herein, include a graphical layout system. A wide range of graphical layout systems are possible, as is clear to one skilled in the art. Examples are known in the industry. Uses and roles of the graphical layout were described earlier in the discussion of the exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b. Various implementations of graphical layout systems in embodiments of the exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b are also possible. In some cases, interfaces to external graphical layout systems are also provided.

FIG. 12 depicts a visual rendering of a graphical layout as may be produced by a graphical layout system of the design of FIG. 11. Such a visual rendering of a graphical layout may be used in fabrication design and/or an animated visualization of a simulated or emulated operation of the design of FIG. 11.

Fabrication System

The exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, as well as a wide range of variations that are clear to one skilled in the art, include a fabrication design system. A wide range of fabrication design systems are possible, as is clear to one skilled in the art. Examples are known in the industry. Two exemplary fabrication design system arrangements and variations were described earlier in the discussion of the exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b. Various embodiments of the invention provide for various implementations of fabrication design systems in embodiments of the exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b. The disclosure also provides for interfaces to external fabrication design systems.

Numerical Simulation System

The exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, as well as a wide range of variations that are clear to one skilled, include a numerical simulation system. A wide range of numerical simulation systems are possible, as is clear to one skilled in the art. Examples are known in the industry. Exemplary numerical simulation system arrangements and variations were described earlier in the discussion of the exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a-6 b and FIGS. 7 a-7 b. For example, as depicted in FIGS. 7 a-7 b, the numerical simulation system may include a number of models that may be created, stored, and retrieved from libraries of associated models. This may include models of microfluidic dynamics, sensor models, reaction models, physics models, etc. Various implementations of numerical simulation systems in embodiments of the exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b are also possible. The disclosure also provides for interfaces to numerical simulation systems.

Animated Data Visualization System

The exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b, as well as a wide range of variations that are clear to one skilled in the art, includes a animated data visualization system. A wide range of animated data visualization systems are possible, as is clear to one skilled in the art. Examples are known in the industry. Exemplary animated data visualization system arrangements and variations were described earlier in the discussion of the exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a-6 b and FIGS. 7 a-7 b. The disclosure provides for various implementations of animated data visualization systems in embodiments of the exemplary integrated systems of FIGS. 6 a and 6 b. Interfaces to external animated data visualization systems are also possible. FIG. 12 depicts a visual output as may be provided by an animated data visualization of a simulated or emulated operation of the design of FIG. 11.

Control Software Development System and Exemplary LoC Software Architectures

As is clear to one skilled in the art, many possible software architectures can be employed for actively controlled LoCs, reconfigurable LoCs, and LoC emulation systems, and more general reconfigurable chemical processing systems. Here, a few examples are provided that may be advantageous in various embodiments, implementations, and applications.

For a number of reasons, a hierarchical design structure is desirable. Some of these are spelled out in the discussion to follow. Additionally, the hierarchical arrangements allow control algorithms to be paired with component groupings, subassemblies, assemblies, subsystems, systems, etc. as described earlier. The resulting designs can be changed, and used as is or as modified. In some embodiments, the resulting design may be retained in a library for use in future design sessions or projects.

FIG. 13 shows a high-level view of such an exemplary software architecture where a higher-level control system controls any one or more of a target actual (physical), emulated (physical) or simulated (numerical model) system. The target physical or simulated system may include one or more of at least one LoC device, a software-controlled LoC emulation system, and a numerical simulation of some or all components of a LoC device.

FIG. 14 shows an exemplary control hierarchy of such an exemplary software architecture. At the lowest level are primitive elements such as valves, heaters, motors, electrodes, optical devices, etc. At the next level are combinations of these that may be addressed together to invoke a particular mode or posture of operation. At the next level are sequences of these that may be used to invoke and/or control a temporal process or other more complex operation.

FIG. 15 shows an exemplary transactional organization for an exemplary hierarchy of control. This hierarchy of control may include a control system (left column), an exemplary hierarchy of control that may be comprised by an LoC device, LoC emulation system, LoC simulation, etc. (right column) which ultimately control the target system (LoC device, emulation, simulation, etc.), and an exemplary hierarchy of commands that may be used to communicate between two hierarchies of control. At the lowest level, individual low level elements may be directly controlled. At the next level, combinations of elements and simple associated subsystems may be directly controlled. At the next level higher, procedures may be specified. Other approaches are of course possible as is clear to one skilled in the art.

It is advantageous if a common language and/or protocol can be used for each level of the hierarchy of commands regardless of the target. This common language and/or protocol may be structured in subsets, libraries, function calls, etc. and may optionally or advantageously be extensible and/or open.

FIG. 16 a shows a likely message flux typically associated with a task at various levels in the hierarchy of commands. In general, decomposing tasks into larger numbers of lower-level operations requires more commands per unit time, while aggregating lower level tasks into higher-level structures requires fewer commands per unit time.

FIG. 16 b shows a likely response time for operations executed in a general software control system (left column) versus a control system closer to the target that may likely use dedicated electronics or other hardware (right column). There can easily be exceptions, but in many cases a control task that is done local to the target with dedicated hardware will be faster than the same task implement remotely in software and subsequently communicated.

FIG. 17 depicts an example control software structure and interfaces comprised by an exemplary a multi-level control hierarchy.

Emulation System

Software-controlled configurable and reconfigurable chemical process systems and methods applicable to LoC devices include, for example, those described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/946,678 filed Nov. 28, 2007.

Of course, much of the interest in the physics of Lab-on-a-Chip devices arises from the fascinating fluid dynamics, sensor technologies, and clever devices intrinsically relying on micro-millimeter physical scale and nanoliter fluidic volumes. Without fabrication prototyping, research, design, and improvement of features requiring micro-millimeter and nanoliter scale may need to heavily rely on numerical modeling and simulation. However, when prototyping system topologies, process and fluidic, logistics, controller complexity, in situ reaction design, closed-loop sensor-input control system, clearing/cleaning designs, and many other features a physical emulation setup can provide tremendous value. This native value may be further enhanced by including one or more of control, sensing, data recording, and software development infrastructure(s) in a reconfigurable physical emulation setup.

Typically an emulation setup is highly customized around a particular envisioned LoC design. If aspects of the design are changed, the emulation setup typically requires rework, sometimes extensively so. By including software-controllable attributes into physical chemical process emulating modules themselves and/or by providing at least some degree of software-controllable interconnection, a physical emulation setup can be assembled to provide a range of topological and functional variations that can support a variety of designs and some, much, or all of the evolution of a particular design. Returning now to FIG. 2 a, this figure provides an example of how a reconfigurable physical emulation setup can span several designs and design variations. In some situations, a reconfigurable physical emulation setup can be used to compare several competing designs. In other situations, a reconfigurable physical emulation setup can be used as a general “workbench” to explore completely unrelated design sketches or side experiments.

In implementing such reconfigurable physical chemical process emulation setups, many of the systems and methods for software-controlled configurable and reconfigurable chemical process described in, for example, the above-identified U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/946,678 may be adapted. Since these systems and methods thus apply to both reconfigurable physical chemical process emulation setups and reconfigurable LoC systems, there is both a great and natural utility in employing a reconfigurable physical chemical process emulation setup as a design tool to emulate reconfigurable LoC systems. Thus, in addition to the use of a reconfigurable physical chemical process emulation setup as a tool for developing and conceptual testing of fixed designs as shown in FIG. 2 a, a reconfigurable physical chemical process emulation setup may be used as a tool for developing and conceptual testing of reconfigurable LoC systems, as suggested in FIG. 2 b.

Additionally, as fixed and reconfigurable LoC systems become available they may in turn be used as components in later-generation larger-scale reconfigurable physical chemical process system.

One skilled in art will appreciate that the systems and methods taught in the examples below are exemplary yet readily extendable to a wide range of variations and adaptations. Such wide-ranging variations and adaptations are fully anticipated and as such are provided for herein.

An exemplary LoC emulation system may include combinations of:

-   -   Electrically-controlled miniature fluid and gas (gating and         routing) valves     -   Small chemical reactors with thermal control     -   Electrical output sensing elements for various physical         quantities     -   Interconnecting tubing     -   Electrically-controlled (low DC voltage) fluid and gas transport     -   Control interface electronics     -   Sensor interface electronics     -   Communications electronics

The above elements and others may be organized into modules that may be designed to handle fluids, gasses, and mixed-media/vapors. These modules may include local control, power management, status indication, and communications electronics. In one approach to implementation, clocked “two-wire” bi-directional serial communications (such as I2C “Inter-15 Integrated Circuit” protocol) may be used. Other implementations may employ self-clocking “one-wire” bi-directional serial communications, parallel communication buses, etc. In some situations, it may be advantageous to employ commercial products such as those manufactured by Matrix Orbital and others that combine character/graphics displays, communications electronics, and on/off electrical outputs and inputs. In other situations, widely available 20 communications chips, such as those made by Analog Devices and Dallas Semiconductor, providing addressable parallel latched data ports, DAC, ADC, temperature sensing, and other functions may be used as a principle component of communications electronics. In yet another implementation, simple addressable latch logic chips or discrete circuitry may be used.

One skilled in the art will appreciate that physical support and interconnection may be handled in a variety of ways. In one embodiment, modules may be in the physical form of a cuboid of various regulated sizes; these cuboid modules may plug into a backplane system and/or may comprise a free-form “patch panel” of electrical connectors and fluidic/gas ports.

In another embodiment, modules may be realized on microscope slides with side-mounted electrical and fluidic/gas port connections that “plug” into a backplane.

In another embodiment, laboratory lattice clamps may be used for support, electrical connectors are provided for power and signals, and fluidic/gas connectors used to provide well-defined ports for the connection one or more types of tubing may be provided. A primitive example of this is provided in FIG. 18 a. FIG. 18 b depicts an exemplary loop-through implementation of a communications bus connecting exemplary modules with an interface, computer, or micro-processor as provided for by the invention. Typically the bus is daisy-chained as depicted by the dashed line in FIG. 18 b, and the use of a pair of connectors on each module, connected between modules via a jumper patch cable, enforces this. The otherwise unused connector of this connector pair of the module at the end of the daisy-chain is provided with an electrical bus termination element (to prevent reflections that would corrupt high-speed communications as is appreciated by those skilled in the art of electronics). The electrical bus termination element may be implemented as a plug-in that mates with the otherwise unused connector (in place of the jumper patch cable), or may be implemented as an auto-sensing switched termination. In other embodiments, such as that depicted in FIG. 18 c, a path on an 15 electrical backplane is used to provide the communications bus, and the electrical backplane internally provides the electrical bus termination element.

Typically each of the communications elements sharing the I C, 1-wire, or other bus is set to a different unique bus address. Each module will have a range of addresses assigned to it. Typically addresses are set by wiring specific pins to selected binary voltage levels; this may be handled by DIP switches, hard-wiring, or other techniques. In some embodiments (such as the Matrix Orbital products), the address may be downloaded by a configuring or controlling computer or processor.

Market Evolution

FIG. 19 shows an evolution path from an initial proprietary implementation into an open system. Other approaches are possible as are clear to one skilled in the art.

While the invention has been described in detail with reference to disclosed embodiments, various modifications within the scope of the invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in this technological field. It is to be appreciated that features described with 30 respect to one embodiment typically may be applied to other embodiments. Therefore, the invention properly is to be construed with reference to the claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. An integrated Lab-on-a-Chip (LoC) design system that models a reconfigurable LoC comprising software, models, and hardware.
 2. The LoC design system of claim 1, wherein the design system further comprises a common interactive environment supporting exchange of data.
 3. The LoC design system of claim 2, wherein the design model comprises simulation of at least one primitive element on the LoC.
 4. The LoC design system of claim 1, wherein the software comprises at least one specification file is used with a common underlying design model.
 5. The LoC design system of claim 1, wherein the hardware comprises a display system.
 6. The LoC design system of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable Lab-on-a-Chip further comprises a microprocessor or Digital Signal Processing (DSP) chip.
 7. The LoC design system of claim 1, wherein the reconfigurable LoC further comprises controllable element attributes and controllable routing.
 8. The reconfigurable LoC of claim 3, wherein the LoC is software configurable. 